Bold is beautiful

By D&P Team On Mar 24, 2013

The Peterbald (also called Petersburg Sphynx, especially in its native country Russia) is a breed of hair-losing cats, rather than a hairless one. They distinguish themselves from other hairless breeds by more elegant boning, long and delicate legs, Oriental head and large set apart ears. They are actually naked Oriental Shorthair or Siamese.

Handsome looks…

Pic courtesy: Owned by Refineddemon Cattery, www.peterbald.go.ro
The Peterbald is actually a naked Oriental Shorthair or Siamese. This is an elegant mid-sized breed, Oriental in type, with wrinkled skin on the head and body. They have a slender body on high slim legs. The muzzle is long, with a straight profile. Ears are very big, wide at base and set wide apart. Whiskers and eyebrows, if they exist, are curly. The breed comes in the following varieties: completely naked (kittens born are absolutely hairless, with soft skin, warm and almost sticky to the touch, forming charming wrinkles on all body); flock (hair type is short, fine down made of sparse, rather little hairs; appear hairless from a distance); velour (kittens born with the most fine and rare coat (1-3 mm), skin feels velvet-like to the touch, they start losing their coat by the age of two months); brush (kittens have short, residual hair that is of a wiry texture and brush-like to the touch, they have curly whiskers); and straight-coated (kittens with normal coat and look like an Oriental Shorthair or a Siamese cat).
The Peterbald is a hair-losing breed. Most of the Peterbald kittens are born with more or less fuzz, which they start losing in their first weeks of life. This process can last until their reach the age of two years. The outcrosses include Siamese, Balinese, Oriental Shorthair and Oriental Longhair.
Persona defined…
The Peterbald is a cat with strong personality. It is the cat of superlatives: intelligent, overwhelming, gushing temperament, unsurpassed obstinacy and a capacity worthy of all admiration to get their own way. Like their Siamese relatives, they are very ‘communicative’. They have sweet temper and they are peaceful, curious, smart and energetic cats. They are extremely attached to their pet parents, accompanying them everywhere, wanting to know and see what they are doing. Peterbalds have to be part of the family. They can’t stand being left alone, they need love and care.
Grooming needs…
The care and grooming of the Peterbald is relatively simple. The good thing is that brushing is obviously not needed. Even though their skin is not as oily as that of the Canadian Sphynx, their skin does get dirty, so it is necessary to bath them every few weeks. In between, you can clean their skin using baby wipes. Bathing is not difficult at all, as a kitten should be started at a young age in getting used to the water. Using a mild shampoo, lathering up and rinsing is all that is required. Towel drying is quick and easy and similar to drying your own skin.
Since there is usually no hair to protect the ears, regular cleaning is required with a cotton swab to get out any accumulated oils. Eyes should also be cleaned more frequently.
Through their graceful and special personality, the Peterbald becomes the centre of attention in no time.
(Raul Hreniuc runs Refineddemon Cattery, a TICA registered cattery in Romania. The cattery was established by breeding Oriental Shorthairs and now introduced Peterbald breeds; www.peterbald.go.ro)